Slow Down: Soda Can Kill You!

A study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that consuming soda can cause premature death.

In an article published in the American Journal of Public Health, Cindy Leung and Elissa Epel states that people who consume more soda have shorter telomeres in their white bloods cells.

Telomeres are units of DNA that protect the ends of chromosomes in cells. Shorter telomeres in white blood cells are associated with age-related diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

“Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened sodas might influence disease development, not only by straining the body’s metabolic control of sugars, but also through accelerated cellular aging of tissues. This is the first demonstration that soda is associated with telomere shortness.”

“This finding held regardless of age, race, income and education level. Telomere shortening starts long before disease onset. Further, although we only studied adults here, it is possible that soda consumption is associated with telomere shortening in children, as well.”